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Clark was giving Rena a piggyback home. They had been down by the lake and she ended up falling asleep next to him. He was going to take her inside but saw that her grandmother was home.
”Sorry Ree, guess we’re going in through your window.” He whispered.
He went up to her window and slowly slid it open, sneaking inside. He set her on the bed and turned around to help lay her down. He lifted her legs up on the bed, removed her shoes, then pulled a blanket over her. He stood next to her bed for a moment, taking in her soft sleeping form. He reached down, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and leaned down to leave a kiss on her forehead.
He rested his forehead against hers as he whispered “Tomorrow. I’ll tell you how I feel. I promise.” He leaned up and headed back out her window. As he slid it shut he glanced at her one more time, smiling at the thought of his confession tomorrow.
He rounded the side of the house but quickly stopped in his tracks and leaned against the wall as he heard voices, one he didn’t recognize. He glanced to the driveway and saw a car he’d never seen before. He was about to go a different direction but words caught his attention.
”I know that bitch gave birth to my child. I demand you hand it over to me. It’s surely of an age that can be useful and I need them.” A man said with anger in his voice.
”Need them? For what?” Rena’s grandmother sneered.
”I need money. They will help me get it.”
“And just how is a child supposed to get you money?” She snapped back.
”It doesn’t matter. Just give me the child. They are mine anyway and I’m sure you’d love to get them off your hands.” He grinned.
”No. I’m not just handing the child over to you. Now, Liam Whitlock, I suggest you get off my property before I call the police!”
Liam Whitlock!? That’s the case dad’s been working on! He is a scab for the mafia and has been suspected for working with slave traders! What would he need with Rena?
”Not till you give me the child. They will sell for a lot of money, boy or girl, it doesn’t matter. I can take the money and pay off my debts. That damned politician has scammed me for the last time.” Suddenly the man’s phone rang and he looked down. His face turned sour then he looked back up towards Rena’s grandmother.
”I’ll be back tomorrow night for the child. You will surrender the child to me or I’ll just take them by force. Your choice but either way, tomorrow, they leave with me.” He said as he stormed off and jumped into his car.
Clark watched as he drove off. Once he was out of sight Clark rounded the corner to see Rena’s grandmother as white as a ghost.
”Mrs. Reyes?” He said, making her jump.
She turned and seeing it was Clark, her face turned sour. “Oh it’s you. What do you want?”
”Liam Whitlock.” He said, dropping his eyes into a glare.
Her face turned white, “You..you heard.”
”What does he want with Rena?” Clark said, anger lacing his words.
She remained quiet for a moment before turning her head away. “He wants to sell her off to pay for his mistakes. He must really be deep in debt this time.”
“So you are aware of who he is?”
”Yes. He’s the bastard that corrupted my baby Elizabeth. As much as I despise that child I won’t give him the satisfaction of winning.” She mumbled.
Clark burned at the way she said she despised Rena but he put it aside. “Let me go, in her place.”
“What?” She turned to face him.
”You heard me. Let me go. He doesn’t know his kids name or gender right? So I’ll take her place. My father is working on his case anyway, this could kill two birds with one stone, right?” Clark didn’t really think it through before suggesting it but if he could protect her then it was worth it.
”Why would you want to do that? You know the trades he works in, correct?” She growled.
”Yes. I’m aware. That’s why I can’t let him take her.”
”Why do you care?”
”Why do I care? I thought it was obvious.. I’m in love with her.” He stated simply. No waver in his voice when he said the words. He meant it. He was in love with Serena Reyes, his childhood friend.
“You’re only 15 years old, you don’t know what love is.” She spit.
”Oh but I do. Love is a beautiful thing. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Most of all it comes when we least expect it to. For me, It was almost instant, even at the age of 7. As we grew older it became undeniable. When I look at her the world seems so much brighter. She is a shining light that has been hidden from the world. Trapped by a darkness caused by you. She was always so alone, so lost. When I saw her crying by the lake I wanted nothing more than to know what would make her cry like that and I never wanted her to cry like that again. The first time I saw her smile, I knew I wanted to see nothing else for the rest of my life. Her smile is so bright, so warm, so beautiful. She deserves to be loved and I’ll be damned if anyone tries to take her away from me. I will love her till the end of time because she is my everything.” Clark emphasized every word. He wanted to say these words to her, these were the words she needed to hear but instead he was spilling them out to the cause of her darkness.
Her grandmother just looked at this boy with disgust. He’s the one that has been distracting that girl from achieving her max potential. Very well, if he wanted to take her place so be it. Maybe he wouldn’t come back and they would be rid of the trash named Liam Whitlock for good. Killing two birds with one stone, right?
”Very well. If you insist that you love her so much then prove it.” She sniped as she turned back inside and slammed the door.
Clark released his tension and turned to go home. How was he going to propose this to his father? They would surely take him somewhere far away, but he could make it back. He’d escape if he had to. He had to protect her. She’d wait for him, right? No, even if she didn’t he still had to do this. He was the only one that could.
“I have to do this, dad. I need to protect her. Even if you tell me not to, I’ll do it anyway.” Clark was speaking to his father in his grandparents living room.
“Clark… It’s not–” his father tried to say.
“I love her, dad. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”
“You’re way too young. What if you get caught! They’d kill you Clark. They don’t mess around.”
“So I’m just supposed to sit back and watch them take her? You know damn well if they do she won’t come back. I can come back. I can escape if I need to but she wouldn’t be able to.”
“Just because you are a male doesn’t mean you would have more freedom. What if they decided to talk you to the traders huh? People will buy anything and the sex trade doesn’t discrimination against gender, they take males too. It’s too dangerous.”
“I’d rather it be me who is sold into the sex trade than her!”
“So you’d sacrifice yourself, is what you’re saying?”
“YES! FOR HER I WOULD. Without hesitation!”
“What about school?”
“I don’t care about school. I’ve already received my junior license, I can just get my GED after this mess is all done. Then I can finish at the police academy. I don’t need a high school diploma telling me I know how to take a test. Her life has more value to me than a damn fancy piece of paper!”
His father just sighed. Realizing that this was a losing battle. His son really had it bad for this girl.
“3 years. You get 3 years then I’m pulling you out. We’re close to cracking their organization but it will still likely take that long.”
Clark’s eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t sure if it’s because he actually got permission or if it was because he was going to be able to protect the one he loved.
“Thanks, dad.” He said with a smile.
“Yeah, yeah, you just better be careful you hear. Your life means more to me than breaking this organization. But I see your resolve and I know you’ve been training hard to get into the agency anyway. You’re a better cop than some of the seasoned ones on the squad.”
Clark just smiled as he turned to head to his room, now that he had permission he was going to think how he would confess to her. Maybe he should wait till he comes back? But what if she finds someone else then? It’d be selfish, but if there’s any chance she loves him back, if he tells her before he leaves maybe she’ll wait for him.
“You really love her huh?” his father asked just as Clark reached his room.
Clark turned to give his father a warm grin. “Yes dad, I do.”
“Is she–”
“Yeah, she’s the one.”
“Then you better keep yourself safe so you can come back to her. Understand.” his father said with an authoritative tone.
“I will dad. For her I’d do anything.”
The next day Clark showed up early to Rena’s house. Her grandmother was already awake, sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette.
“I didn’t know you smoked.” Clark mocked slightly as he walked up.
“Old habit. I haven’t in years but that man. That disgusting, fowl being of a man. Thinking he can come here and threaten me?” She grumbled.
Finally looking up at Clark she asked “What are you doing here?”
“I’m taking her out for the day. You’re not stopping me or saying she has better things to do. She can sacrifice one day of her studies with me.” he demanded.
“You are too much of a distraction. Don’t think I don’t know she sneaks out to see you. I’ve known for years, I just let it slide because I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to fall “in love” with a girl like her.”
“A girl like her? Do you even know her? Your own granddaughter? She is an amazing person. She has the biggest heart. She’d help anyone in need over herself. She’s smart, beautiful, and talented. Did you know she plays the piano? Just as beautifully as her mother did. Her passion for music is just as strong. She’s only following your rules because she’s afraid of being tossed on the street to be left alone, AGAIN. Alone like she was for so many years. Because you left her alone. You blamed her for something that wasn’t her fault. You put that blame on a 5 year old child. Then you abandoned her, for what? I think it’s because you couldn’t live with the guilt that you abandoned your own daughter, leaving her to struggle on her own, which likely is the real reason she–”
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Her grandmother interrupted him. “Don’t you say another damn word.”
“Why? Because I was telling the truth?” he snipped.
Before she could answer, Rena stepped through the front door.
“What’s with all the yelling?” she was rubbing the sleep from her eyes when she looked up and saw Clark, “Clark! What are you doing here so early?” she then turned to look at her grandmother and her eyes widened “Grandma you smoke!?”
Clark just gave her grandmother a glare then reached for Rena’s hand, “Come on. You’re spending the whole day with me.”
“Whaa–” she tried to say as he was dragging her away.
He was still a little tense from the argument with her grandmother; he didn’t realize how fast or hard he was pulling Rena.
“-ark, CLARK!” she yelped, as she halted her steps, pulling him back to reality.
He stopped walking and turned to look at her. “You’re squeezing too hard.” she said looking down. He followed her gaze then quickly let go.
“Oh! Sorry.” he said softly.
“Um. What were you two arguing about? I’ve never heard you two yell like that. It woke me up.” she asked.
“I was just giving her a piece of my mind. Don’t worry about it.” he said as he smiled.
“Um ok.” she said, still lingering with worry about the argument. It wasn’t like Clark to yell like that.
"Come on, Ree. Let's spend the day together and let the worries of the world fade away." His smile growing, his emerald eyes shining so bright.
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